


ghost in the machine

by romantasha



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Framework, I will add more tags as this goes, Skyeward - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-28 15:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10123583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romantasha/pseuds/romantasha
Summary: She thinks it’s all under control and that’s she’s doing great until Ward grabs her hand and pulls it on top of the gear shift to intertwine with his. And he's smiling at her like she's his entire world.To clarify, it’s the not hand holding or the smiling that freaks her out. It’s when she looks down at their hands and—Daisy really wants to scream.But she doesn’t.She has amission.





	1. flickering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we go, a new fic! I couldn't help myself with the endless Skyeward theories I have in my head after the Framework plot twist. It's really a mix of tons of theories, but some are more far-fetched because it's a fanfic and it's all about exploring what _doesn't_ happen, anyways.
> 
> The title and chapters take after the song **_Ghost in the Machine by The Fire and the Sea._** Give it a listen!

Grant Ward is...alive?

She doesn’t know if that’s quite the right description. Sure, Grant Ward is lying in bed right in front of her, but _technically_ , none of this is real.

Daisy has to keep reminding herself of that, because it feels so ridiculously real.

Yet, she’s panicking. She’s panicking to the point that she hears the headboard of the bed slam against the wall, and that’s when she notices she’s quaking the bed. She’s kind of surprised she still has her powers.

It’s then Grant Ward wakes up. He’s automatically alert, a crazed look in his eyes, and calling a name.

“Skye,” he calls out. “Skye, you need to stop, _now_.” He grasps her hands, firmly but gentle and loving, and she’s about to use her powers to break the bones in his hand when—

It took Daisy a minute to realize he wasn’t scare of her, but _for_ her.

And she can’t let the emotions getting the better of her like this.

_He’s not real. He’s not real. He’s not real._

She calms down, but he remains frantic. It takes him only a few seconds to pull up a little device and flips open a laptop he pulled from the floor.

Is that a seismometer? Is he fucking serious?

Daisy sees the screen shows normal readings and she sees Ward’s confusion. “Chill out, I only quaked the bed,” she says firmly. No emotion, no attachment.

He glances up at her and sighs. “You know you gotta be more careful.” Daisy wants to roll her eyes, but he grips her hands and pulls her towards him. How dare he touch— “You know how dangerous it is if they find out about you.”

He says it with such tenderness that she finds it in her heart to listen to him. No more quaking. She knows nothing about this world and how it works. She doesn’t know who “they” are, and it’s probably best if she doesn’t find out. If she dies in this world...

Daisy knows her mission.

And she has to use Ward to be successful.

So she rubs her thumb against his hands and smiles down at him. “I’m sorry for scaring you like that.” She sits down next to him on the bed. She’s careful to have a safe distance, but not far enough for it to feel impersonal. Yet Ward seems to frown and she knows he’s about to ask why she was quaking the bed so she pulls the phone out of the pocket of her robe and interrupts. “We’re being called in,” she tells him quickly.

He plucks the phone from her hands and groans. “What does May want us to do now?” Daisy’s heart jumps at the name. May. May is here. “We _just_ came back from a mission.” She’s a little confused, because she’s never known Ward to shy away from a mission, but then she remembers that this isn’t really him.

And even if it was, she never knew the real Ward. So it’s not like she knew if he actually liked missions. It was probably just a part of his “perfect agent” cover.

Ward leans up and gives her a quick peck on the lips before jumping out of bed. She’s a little ashamed to admits that she recoils slightly, but reasons that it’s purely because he caught her by surprise. His Skye might have done the same.

_His Skye._

Now that gives her a recoil purely based on emotions. This is a world where somehow she and Ward get together and they’re _happy_. And the scary part? The more that she thinks about it, the more she realizes that uneasy feeling in her stomach isn’t disgust, but regret.

She shoves the thought down.

-

In no time, Ward is out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel. Daisy’s already changed, and she makes a point to go to the kitchen just as he begins to search for an outfit.

(She was a little surprised to find no tac gear in their closet. For a minute she’s worried, but when Ward comes out in a suit, she finds her chosen business casual attire to be appropriate. Aren’t they going on a mission, though? But she does recall how agents only have their tac gear at base, and given the nice bright lightening, she can tell this is definitely not a base.

It’s a home.)

Daisy’s immensely grateful when Ward grabs the keys and leads the way. She knows nothing about where they’re going, or what their car even _looks_ like. She’s kind of a mess, but she forgives herself in being so clueless because undercover missions like these generally have weeks of prior knowledge to shove into mind, and definitely weren’t in some virtual reality where the world is unpredictable. So, it’s perfectly normal. And she’s doing the best she can with what she has.

She figures out pretty quickly that they’re in DC. She’s been in the city enough to recognize it, and even can name a few streets that Ward zooms by.

She thinks it’s all under control and that’s she’s doing great until Ward grabs her hand and pulls it on top of the gear shift to intertwine with his. And he's smiling at her like she's his entire world.

To clarify, it’s the not hand holding or the smiling that freaks her out. It’s when she looks down at their hands and—

What the _fuck_?

—she sees a green Hydra logo spinning around on the center display. It takes all of Daisy’s willpower not to screech, because, obviously, what the fuck is going on? But she needs to find Jemma and Coulson and May and Fitz and she can’t let Ward know that anything is up with her. She needs him to find out more, and he mentioned May earlier...which makes her ask once again: _What. The. Fuck?_

If Ward is Hydra...and apparently his Skye is Hydra...and they’re working with May?

Daisy really wants to scream.

But she doesn’t.

She has a _mission_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't done much writing lately, so please forgive me if it seems...lacking. But more is on the way, and I'm pretty excited to share with you all. Chapters will probably be a bit longer (I prefer them around the 2k range), but I'll be updating soon.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy what there is so far and what there is to come!


	2. i don't know what it means

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a little longer to get out then I expected. Sorry about that! But nonetheless...
> 
> Here we have Daisy coming to terms (sort of) with this new world. She makes new friends (sort of), meets some old friends (sort of), and makes some new enemies (sort of).
> 
> Have fun with all these sort of's!

Daisy notices the Triskelion and the Hydra symbol thrust upon the side fairly quickly.

She’s thoroughly confused about the world she’s currently in. Hydra is public and ruling the world. So, Ward’s still Hydra.

Her stomach drops a little at that, but she ignores it. There’s no way she was hoping for Ward to be—

Except she was.

Ward parks with ease in the parking garage and she follows him up into the building. There’s a terrible feeling at her stomach that she can’t push down like before. She tries to take deep breaths and Ward gives her a sympathetic look like she knows she’s going to throw up.

Oh God.

She’s going to throw up.

Daisy tries her best to not, until she sees a sign. _INHUMAN THREAT - REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY._ That’s her last straw—”Excuse me,” she throws at Ward, and runs off to the nearby bathroom.

She throws up.

How did the world get this messed up? A world where Hydra rules the world, Inhumans are hunted (No wonder Ward was so worried when she lost control, she realizes.), and she’s _dating_ Ward. A thought comes up that a part of her always wanted this, a happy ending with the guy she thought Ward was, but she ignores it. Ignores it like she has been for _years._

Daisy breathes slowly, steadily, until she’s sure she’s not going to burst out sobbing. She’s a professional, she can’t let this get personal.

_It wasn’t personal._

Again, she pushes it down.

Ward is waiting for her outside the bathroom, as if this was a normal thing. Maybe it was. Maybe Skye was so sick of working for Hydra. Good on her.

But he just pulls her close and presses a kiss to her brow. “Feeling better?” he asks. “Still have that stomach bug?”

Ward suddenly lets go of her and seems to jump about a foot away, putting his hands behind his back. Daisy straightens up and turns around to—

She wants to run up and hug May the second she pops into vision, but she keeps her stance still and her hands by her side. But she also notices the Hydra logo on May’s shoulder and the world seems to fall away. She desperately needs to figure out where Jemma is.

“You’re late,” May says sternly. She walks up to Ward and thrusts a folder in his hands. “I expect it’ll be quick, Agent Ward.”

He doesn’t wait any time to read the file. “It says here Skye’s running the comms,” he says, his brow scrunched in confusion. “Wouldn’t it make more sense for her to run this with me, and have Agent Williams run the comms?”

May raises an eyebrow with a light smirk lining her lips, as if she knows something he doesn’t. But it’s just a flicker in reality; she regains her poker face before anyone but Daisy notices. “Well, Agent Triplett will be your backup, and both Skye and Williams will run comms. Is there a problem?” The last bit is firm, leaving no questions to be asked.

Which, of course, means questions will be asked.

“Director—”

What the fuck? _Director?_

This day just keeps getting better and better.

“—You keep benching Skye and—”

“W...Hey, it’s okay,” Daisy interrupts. She keeps almost calling him Ward, which she doesn’t think is appropriate for their _relationship_ (she doesn’t know what to make of that yet), but she doesn’t want to set off any alarms in the robot’s head by calling him some stupid pet name that he’s not used to, so she’s resorted to calling him “hey you.” It works.

Ward stands down and May does not seem amused. “Agent Ward, go find Agent Triplett and set up. Agent Skye, I’ll have a quick word with you.”

Agent Triplett...Daisy suddenly recalls the name being mentioned earlier. Could it be..?

Ward sends her a wary glance but she nods him off and moves up to May, curious on what she has to say. A part of Daisy hopes that this is all a lie, that somehow the Director of Hydra actually works for S.H.I.E.L.D. and they’re about to talk about information they might have gained on how to take do—

“You haven’t told him yet,” May states. Uh, Daisy’s confused. Told him what? That she’s S.H.I.E.L.D.? What? “I know the situation is personal so I can excuse him questioning my orders for now, but he’s getting suspicious and my patience is growing thin. _Tell him._ ”

May walks away, leaving Daisy in utter confusion.

She feels the need to throw up again. She doesn’t know why. It must be the Framework’s Skye’s reaction to whatever May was referring to.

-

She kisses Ward hard the next time she sees him. He’s changed into his tac gear and it reminds her of the old days and how—

She tells herself it’s just for the mission. She has to play her character, right?

(In reality, she just wants to make out with him.)

It’s the mantra in her head as he slides his tongue into her mouth and she tangles her hand in her hair and her other hand exploring his chest.

They are so _rudely_ interrupted by a random guy not in tac gear, who’s glaring at them. She shoots a glare back—she can only make out with Grant Ward only so often—but straightens herself out and smiles at Ward, and the guy rolls his eyes and walks away. “What was that for?” Ward asks.

Daisy doesn’t really have an answer. The little voice in her head that was saying it was for the mission suddenly dies down and suddenly she’s worrying that Skye wasn’t the type of girlfriend to grab him and kiss him at random moments (she was so sure she was, especially with a boyfriend as hot as Ward). But he kisses her nose and she finds it endearing—

No.

Ward is _not_ being cute. He _can’t_ be. She tries to think about all the evil things he’s done but in between are little peaks of the good days when Team Bus was a thing. It all kind of comes crashing down when she remembers this isn’t really Ward. It’s someone else, who probably never did anything that evil. Except be Hydra, but how can she judge that? She’s Hydra herself, in this world.

_It’s a mission._

She can’t let herself become compromised.

It all fades away when she sees a familiar face.

It’s _Trip_.

The tears well up in Daisy’s eyes and it takes every bit of her not to run up and tackle him with an embrace. So she settles for a large smile and a, “Hey!”

“Hey, baby girl!” he responds, and she doesn’t have to worry about losing control because he scoops her into his arms himself. “It’s been a while!”

Ward claps Trip’s back. “So how was Brazil?” he asks.

“Man, it was great. Got myself a girl,” Trip winks. He lets go of Daisy, but keeps a hand of her shoulder. “But nothing replaces you, of course. Too bad you’re taken,” he jokes. God, she’s missed him. His humour and wit made her life so much brighter. “So, how’s the world’s best power couple coming along? Has he popped the question yet?” He says the second part off to the side for Daisy, but obviously meaning for Ward to hear, and he chokes a little on air.

“What?” Ward manages to squeak out. “Trip, man, you _suck_.”

A part of Daisy’s heart hurts. The thought that her and Ward could’ve had this future where they’re happy and joking with a very alive Trip tugs at her. She doesn’t respond to Trip’s question because to be honest, she has no idea how Skye would respond. But she fakes a laugh and hooks her arm around Ward, playing the part of Ward’s loving girlfriend.

“Hey,” Ward starts saying, “Man, do you know why May keeps benching Skye? It’s the third time this week. I know she’s great at the comms—it is what she originally joined for—but we know how valuable she is in the field.”

Trip shrugs. “Beats me. How have your...abilities been, Skye? We all know May is paranoid about you being found out.”

Daisy opens her mouth, but doesn’t respond right away. So May knows that she’s an Inhuman. None of this makes sense. The Director of Hydra, an organization apparently out for Inhumans, knows that she’s an Inhuman. And is _concerned_ about her being found out. Maybe that’s what the conversation was about earlier. Maybe she’s been a little out of control. She does feel the buzzing stronger than she did before. It’s taking more effort to stay in control. Maybe something’s wrong.

She puts a hand on Ward’s chest. “It’s okay, I don’t mind. She probably has a good reason. It’s probably just because I’ve been sick.”

Ward sighs. “Yeah, that’s probably it. I just wish she would say so.”

“Come on, we’ll discuss it later. Right now, we have a mission to do.” And that’s that.

-

As May said, the mission is pretty basic. There’s a team to raid a building of an alien black market seller who has vaults of dangerous items. Ward is the one that will be going after the seller while Trip takes the back route as a backup if the target goes off the radar and the team will be securing the vaults. It seems kind of fun.

Yet, Daisy’s stuck in the stupid van with the guy that interrupted her make-out with Ward. Apparently, his name is Eugene Williams. Man, how much did his parents hate him to name him _Eugene_? Plus, he’s boring. Extremely boring. He’s worse than when she first met Ward; he just _grunts_ when she makes a joke. She's highly offended.

The mission’s going great, up until all the comms die. “Fuck!” she yells out as she frantically tries to regain the connections. She forgets that she’s working for Hydra. She has a job and it’s to make sure this mission is successful, and she’s not going to fail. She’s got to stay on May’s good side, anyways.

It doesn’t take her very long to realize that the dead comms are due to an internal shutoff.

But, it does take her too long to realize that Agent Williams isn’t doing a thing to help. Instead, he’s grabbing something that looks a lot like a gun from his bag.

 _Shit_.

He’s pointing the weapon at her. “Williams, what the fuck? What are you doing?”

“Ridding the world of Inhuman scum,” he snarls. Oh. Somehow, he knows. That can’t be good. If she dies in this world...

Daisy holds a hand up steadily. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, bu—”

He has the audacity to laugh. He holds the gun steady and it’s pointed at her head. He’s too far for her to grabs it and fight him. “Don’t bother lying to me. I’ve seen your medical records. I know what they’ve been hiding.” He’s got a crazed look in his eyes. “One clean shot and the both of you are dead.”

Both?

As far as Daisy can see, the only people in the van were her and Agent Williams. But then, she takes a deep breath and tries to focus on the heartbeats in the room.

And instead of the two that she expects, there’s three. Three individual little heartbeats. But...one is _different_. It’s hard to feel it in the first place, and it’s nothing like she’s ever felt before.

He points the gun at her stomach and—

 _No_.

Suddenly, it all makes sense. The extra heartbeat, the throwing up, May’s concern about her being in the field, her powers being out of control...

But Daisy realizes too late.

The gun fires, and the world fades around her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we are! A cliffhanger!
> 
> For those of you that got the little plot twist, woo! If you haven't gotten it yet, don't worry, it'll be revealed clearly next chapter!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed it, it would mean a lot if you took a moment out of your day to leave a comment.
> 
> Until next time!


End file.
